Railway signal-torpedo.



F. BUTCHER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1912. I

Patented Aug. 11, 191 i THE NORRIS PETERS coJPl-lom-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

RAILEVAY SIGNAL-TORPEDO.

1,107,050. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 4, 1912.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914. Serial No. 688,572.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK DUTCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal-Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes, and relates to the non-metallic case type of torpedo to prevent persons being injured by flying particles of the case when the torpedo explodes.

My present invention consists in providing a cloth wrapping for a substantially rectangular open ended tubular explosive containing paper case; to close the open ends of the case by the cloth wrapping; to strengthen the paper case by the cloth wrapping, and to secure a rail strap member to the case by means of the cloth wrapping.

The object of my invention is to provide an efiicient and cheap non-metallic case torpedo, which will have its paper casestrengthened, the explosive in the case protected and a strap-carrying member held in position by a cloth wrapping, the cloth wrapping more effectually withstanding the wear in the handling of the torpedo than the exposed paper of the case.

A further object of my invention is to so construct a cloth wrapped non-metallic torpedo that it is adapted to have a metalllc strap carrying clip clamped thereto.

eferring now to the drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of my improved torpedo, showing it applied to a railway rail. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the several parts of the completed torpedo in separated relation.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference characters denote the same parts, 1 is a substantially rectangular open ended paper tubular case in which the explosive compound 2 is placed. Th1s explosive compound is in the form of a tablet of a size to fit within the case 1. A paper plate 3 is constructed with openings 4, through which a lead rail-engaging strap 5 passes, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and this plate I term a strap-carrying plate. The plate is preferably of a size corresponding to the external size of the bottom of the case 1, to which it is applied.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the explosive tablet 2 is placed within the case 1 and the paper plate 3 placed against the under side of the case 1, with the threaded portion 6 of the strap 5 next to our against the under side of the case 1. The strap 5 has its ends bent outward, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 4, and the workman holds the plate against the of the case 1. A piece of cloth 7 is provided, of a length to reach from one of the openings 4 up around the top of the case 1, and back to the other opening 4, the ends of the cloth located between the plate d the end The cloth is coated pressed around the case from one opening 4 to the other opening 4, as shown in Fig. 2. This piece of cloth 7, is of a width corresponding to the length of the tubular case 1. Another piece of cloth 8 is provided of a width corresponding to the width of the case 1, and of a length suflicient to pass about twice around the case longitudinally. This piece of cloth is also 1 is tightly wrapped around the case andthe plate 3. It tightly closes the open ends 9 of the tubular case 1 and protects the explosion tablet 2, which is in the case. These two wrappings of cloth firmly secure and lock the paper strap-carrying plate 3 to the torpedo case, so that the plate is held against movement in either direction on the case 1, and the strap 5 held against endwise movement in the plate 3.

y passing the strap 5, through the plate 3, as shown, and having its free ends outer side of the plate 3 the edges of the case 1, a distance equal to the thickness of the plate 3 and of the cloth 7. This is sufficient, as shown in Fig. 2, to

exploded and its edges blown out, the lead strap is not segregated by explosion and blow away as has been known to happen when only the thickness of the case 1 intervenes between the edges of the case and the strap.

A torpedo of this construction has the tube strengthened by the cloth so that a louder report isoccasioned by the explosion and the torpedo will stand much more wear than an exposed paper case. These torpedoes are carried in the pockets of brakes men of trains and it often happens that one torpedo is carried for some time in the pocket of the brakesman and is considerably handled before it is used, and for this reason it is desirable to have a torpedo so constructed that it will stand wear without injury.

After the case 1 has been wrapped with cloth as described, it is dipped into a waterproof compound and this compound enters into the'interstices of the cloth in a manner to prevent it from being peeled or scratched oif in any manner to detract from the waterproof effect of the compound. The waterproofing of a paper torpedo is old, but the paper of which these torpedoes are made is necessarily of a closely woven and tight pressed paper and the waterproofing compound does not enter into the fibers of the paper in a manner to stand severe wear without being scratched or peeled oif to 'a damaging extent. It is essential that these torpedoes be sufficiently waterproofed to stand heavy drenching rains and, therefore, the proper waterproofing thereof is essential to a reliable railway signal torpedo. The torpedo herein disclosed has only the cloth exposed and the waterproofing compound enters the interstices of the cloth in such a manner as to prevent it being peeled away or scratched off to a damaging extent, in the severest usage to which torpedoes can possibly be subjected by railroadmen when being handled or carried for use.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Having thus described my I claim and desire to secure ent is:

1. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a paper explosive containing case, a paper strap carrying plate at the under side of the case, and two strips of cloth wrapped and cemented around the case and plate at right angles to each other.

2. A railway signal torpedo comprising a substantially rectangular open ended tubular explosive containing case having strips of cloth wrapped and cemented therearound at right angles to each other, one of the strips of cloth closing the open ends of the case.

3. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a paper tubular open ended explosive containing case, a strap carrying paper plate at the under side of the case, and two strips of cloth wrapped and cemented around the case and the plate at right angles to each other, one of said strips closing the open ends of the tube, the two strips locking the plate to the case.

4. A railway signal torpedo, comprising a paper explosive container, an attaching strap below the case and strips of cloth wrapped and cemented around the case at right angles to each other.

5. A railway signal torpedo, comprising an explosive containing case, a strap carrying plate at the under side of the case, and two strips of cloth wrapped and cemented around the case and plate at right angles to each other.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK BUTCHER.

WVitnesses R. W. JUNKER, G. M. LEONARD.

invention, what by Letters Pat- "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

